Chapter 209 - Katana

# Enhanced Translation

A few days after the New Year arrived.

I was preparing to go to Kathedal.

"What, it's already open?"

Does everyone have nothing to do?

I thought this while casually getting ready.

Actually, I have plenty of information, and it'll be nice to see old man Atlas after a while... but I wonder if others feel the same way.

Or is this Celeste's grand plan to help everyone become closer by meeting frequently? Last time I noticed people sitting next to each other greeting and whispering to each other, so maybe that's how they're becoming friends. The original work did mention that these meetings were held frequently.

Of course, I sat next to old man Atlas from the beginning, and the next time I was squeezed in next to our red mohawk guy, so I didn't really have time to meet others. Ah, there was one person though. Katana, that woman who's an S-class villain from Japan.

"....."

...Well, could that even be called a conversation? I just gave her one-sided information while she seemed somewhat wary of me. Anyway, thanks to my advice, she turned the tables in an instant and has been thriving ever since. Didn't the news recently say that the Japanese Association's surrender announcement is all that remains? The public opinion is already on Katana's side, so that says it all.

...But, Katana. Will she pretend not to know me when she sees me? Kind of like using someone and then discarding them. Now that she's gotten the information, will she just wash her hands of me? Or maybe not, since the original work clearly stated that she definitely repays her debts... I couldn't say for sure since I didn't know exactly what Katana was like.

Well. I'll find out when I get there soon anyway.

So I got dressed and was planning to tear the letter Celeste sent and move to the meeting hall.

"I'll be going now, Ms. Subin."

"Yes, have a safe trip... Oh, wait a moment."

In the living room bathed in warm sunlight.

As I was saying goodbye before leaving, Ms. Subin answered with a smile and walked up to me.

Then she stood right in front of me, lowered her gaze for a moment, and adjusted my collar below my neck.

"This part is a bit crooked..."

Rustle, rustle.

Feeling the touch of her fingers on my body, I stood quietly for a moment. Until she finished adjusting it.

For a while, only our breathing could be heard in the living room.

"There, all done."

Ms. Subin smiled like that, smoothed my collar one last time, and spoke to me in a gentle voice.

...She was very close.

"Thank you. I'll be going now."

"Yes."

Ms. Subin answered with a bright smile.

...Let's do my best and come back.

I smiled slightly, then tore the letter in my hand.

And with that, my vision rippled again.

***

"Hmm..."

"Hello, Mr. Egostic."

A cool air against my skin.

In this slightly chilly atmosphere, contrary to the warm living room air from just moments ago, I opened my eyes.

After nodding slightly to the priest of Celestia, who was wearing white priestly robes and bowing to me, I walked down the long corridor.

My footsteps echoed on the white, sky-blue marble floor. The candles hanging one by one on the walls further reinforced the feeling that this place was a kind of cathedral.

And.

'.....Hmm.'

Walking down the corridor, I raised an eyebrow at the warm energy I felt as I got closer to the meeting hall.

And when I finally arrived right in front of the meeting hall and entered through the door.

"....Oh."

In the open meeting hall under the large chandelier, unlike the corridor below, a noticeably warmer air could be felt. The chandelier was brighter with a more crimson glow than before, and there seemed to be more candelabras around than before. I guess Celeste paid attention to heating since the weather was cold.

I found an empty seat at the large round table and sat down. Before sitting, I greeted some of the other villains with a slight smile. They flinched in surprise when they saw me, but then realized I was greeting them and finally nodded back slightly.

...Wait, why are S-class villains flinching when they see an A-class? I'm probably the weakest one here in terms of raw power. I won't hurt you.

After sitting down, I could feel glances from here and there. It's probably because I leaked Ex Machina's identity last time, and his identity was revealed a few months after I mentioned it. Those glances probably mean "What kind of guy is he to know such top-secret information?" Someone with a vivid imagination might even suspect some connection between my public disclosure of his information and his subsequent death.

Well, it's all intentional. After all, my goal is to raise my presence.

I was thinking about this while sitting in my seat.

The seats were still quite empty as I seemed to have arrived early. Atlas and that red mohawk guy hadn't arrived yet. So I was just looking around the meeting hall, lost in thought. After this meeting, I should plan some terrorism against Stardust, but what should I do...

Under the massive chandelier, white walls surrounding the wide round table. And the stained glass windows on the walls with subtle, colorful designs.

As I was watching that huge sun image engraved on one side.

".....Hmm?"

From that direction, Katana entered through the door.

She had black tied hair, wore a Japanese warrior outfit made of white and black cloth, and carried a Japanese sword.

And Katana, looking around as if searching for someone.

She made direct eye contact with me who was watching her, and her eyes widened.

Then, she approached me.

When she came up to me, she greeted me immediately.

"Hello, Mr. Egostic."

"Ah, yes. Hello?"

At my response, she smiled slightly.

Since she usually had such an expressionless face, seeing her smile like that was quite unusual.

After greeting me, she naturally sat down in the chair next to me.

Hmm...?

Sitting next to me and meeting my gaze, she bowed her head and thanked me.

"Back then, thanks to your help, I was able to overcome the crisis. I'm truly grateful."

Katana said this while looking me in the eye with a serious expression. Her eyes were very sincere.

I smiled and replied to her.

"Oh, it's nothing. We're colleagues operating in neighboring countries, so we should naturally help each other."

"No. If you hadn't helped us... we would have been completely wiped out. I'm truly indebted to you beyond words."

She said with a serious face.

...Well, I never expected her to think this deeply about it. It's a bit burdensome.

So I cleared my throat and deliberately continued with a smile, as if trying to lighten the mood.

"I appreciate you thinking that way. I just wanted to become friends with you, Katana."

"Friends..."

As if it were an unfamiliar word she hadn't heard in a long time, she murmured it for a moment, then answered me with a very slight smile.

"That sounds good. So we're friends from today?"

"Yes."

And that's how I made a new friend at Kathedal.

A Korean-Japanese villain collaboration, now no one can stop this... Although the collaboration process somehow became as ticklish as making friends during a new semester at school. Is this really a conversation between two villains who control countries...?

Anyway, since there was still some time before the meeting started, we had various conversations. Among them, the notable one was.

"You've already won?"

"Yes. We haven't announced it to the media, but it's already over."

The fact that Katana had already conquered the Japanese Association.

She said they're controlling information for fear of international intervention, but the takeover is almost complete. All the corrupt politicians and bureaucrats who were there before have been dealt with and completely replaced.

From what I heard about the plan, they intend to maintain the Association's external appearance while Katana's Three Harmony Faction will act as the hidden power behind it. ...It feels somewhat similar to our country in a way.

Now I understand why she was so grateful to me. She essentially thinks I helped save her country, or rather, thanks to me she was able to take over the Association. That must have been her lifelong goal.

As I was thinking about this, Katana, sitting next to me, continued in a serious voice.

"So, I feel that the debt I owe you, Egostic, is not something I can just let pass. So please tell me if there's anything you want."

"Hmm..."

Even if she says that, I don't really have anything to ask for.

"If there's anything I can do, I'll do anything for you."

Anything?

Hearing that word, an idea came to me. Yes, she said anything...?

Just as I was about to open my mouth.

"Hey, Egostic!"

At that moment, I heard a loud voice calling me from over there.

Looking to see who it was, sure enough, it was old man Atlas coming with his huge build.

He greeted me with a hearty laugh, and as he sat down next to me, he noticed Katana who was sitting close to me as we were talking, and asked me who she was.

"Ah, this is Katana from Japan, who I've recently become acquainted with."

"Hello, I'm Katana."

"Haha! So, you're Egostic's colleague? Then you're my colleague too!"

Hahaha! He laughed heartily.

He patted my back and complimented me on my abilities. ...What kind of compliment is this?

Anyway, Katana sat on my left, and Atlas on my right. I'll have to finish what I was saying earlier later.

And shortly after.

Finally, Celeste arrived.

The meeting began.

"...Um... that seat..."

"...."

"Ah, never mind..."

Of course, there was a minor incident where our red mohawk guy who arrived a bit later timidly said that to Katana, but became intimidated by her sharp glare and ended up sitting next to Atlas.

Anyway, the meeting truly began.